The Perfect Storm
by lalawa
Summary: One Shot. Chloe and Derek get left behind in the rain and have to stay the night, which leads to a life-changing revelation. Takes place about 6 weeks after The Reckoning. Please read and review!


A/N: this is just a oneshot I thought of like last summer and just found on my computer. I tried to make the writing a little better, but I figured I might as well just share it since it is so old anyway. This is supposed to take place about six weeks after the end of The Reckoning.

Terrential downpours definitely crack the list of top ten most inconvenient things right now. And the fact that I don't have a jacket or an umbrella. Derek tried to make me take his jacket, but he needed it more than I did so soon after his change. The others had gotten stranded in the next town over while they were looking for somewhere more permanent to stay, but the car broke down, so they were staying the night there while it got fixed. I had stayed back with Derek so he could change. We had already checked out of the hotel because we were planning on moving on and had expected them to come get us. They'd called us from the auto shop phone on the disposable cell phone, telling us to catch a bus and go meet them. The buses didn't run on Sundays. Great. We hurried underneath an awning.

"Jesus christ, I don't think I've ever seen it rain so hard." Derek said.

I shivered. "I k-know."

He frowned. "Would you just take this?" He started to take off his jacket.

"No, Derek. Come on, we need a plan."

He glanced around and ran his fingers through his hair. "There's a hotel right next door. We can stay there for the night. You still have the money right?"

I nodded.

"Okay, let's go."

We ran the twenty feet to the hotel and hurried inside. We were both dripping. This place was a little skeevier than out previous hotel, but it was definitely cheaper and only for one night.

"Hello." The woman with bright orange hair and smudged lipstick working the front desk said. "How can I help you?"

"We need a room for tonight." Derek said.

She clucked her tongue and turned to the computer. "For two? Let's see... we only have singles. Is that okay?"

Derek looked at me. I shrugged. "Sure." I wasn't even sure what that meant.

She handed us a paper for information, credit card number etc. I pulled a wad of cash from my pocket and put it on the counter. She stared at it then looked at us.

"How old are you two?"

Derek shifted. "What does that have to do with anything?"

She sized him up then looked at me. I knew I looked young. She probably thought Derek was a pedophile. Gross.

"Look, we have money, we need a place to stay. Is there a problem?" Derek said coldly.

"No, everything's fine." She handed us a key and told us room 323. I thanked her.

The elevator had bad swanky music on. I was suddenly exhausted. I felt Derek's fingers like tap my wrist. I smiled at him. He slid his fingers in between mine. We got to our floor and followed the arrows that pointed to our room number, A very sketchy looking guy emerged from one of the rooms down the hall and hurried towards us, glancing at the ground and muttering to himself. Derek's hand went to my waist, pulling me closer to him protectively. We finally got to the room. When I went in I realized what the receptionist mean by "single". There was one bed. That's why Derek looked at me. Oh. The room was a little dingy, but clean. There was a tv, a chair, and a nightstand in the room along with the bed. Pretty simple. Derek crossed the room and pulled the curtains on our view of the street.

I wanted to curl up and sleep. I was soaked though. I chewed my bottom lip.

I heard something slop on the ground. It was Derek's jacket. Amazingly, his tshirt stayed dry. Lucky.

But he was taking that off, too. I watched his abs stretch and flex as he pulled it off.

"Go get out of your wet clothes and put this on. You're going to get sick." He said.

I took it hesitantly and said thanks. My shirt clung to me as I struggled out of it. My jeans stuck to my skin. My bra and underwear were damp, but no way was I sleeping without those in the same room as Derek. I blow dried them a little bit so they were comfortable to wear. I pulled Derek's dark gray shirt over my head. It was more like a dress on me. I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked ridiculous. Like a washed up poodle. I used the blow drier on my hair. Better. I tried to build up the courage to walk out of the bathroom. I knew I was being silly. But I wasn't wearing pants. And it was _his _shirt. Which smelled like him. Earthy and spicy at the same time. I smiled as I inhaled. Finally I just walked out.

Derek was sitting in the chair. He looked up from the tv as I came in. His eyes raked over my bare legs, up my torso clad in his shirt and came to meet my eyes.

"Did you hang up your clothes?" He asked after a moment.

"Yup." I said. He was still in his soaked jeans, shirtless. "Shouldn't you hang your jeans up?"

He grunted. "I didn't want you to feel..."

"Awkward?" I offered.

"Yeah."

I shrugged. "I've seen you in less than your boxers before." I said. Then blushed beat red. "I mean when you changed when Liam was there... Not that I saw anything! I just meant that-"

He was laughing. He stood and walked over to me, kissing me lightly. "I know what you meant." He said with a teasing grin. He brushed past me to the bathroom. I wanted to smack myself. I went over and sat on the edge of the bed, watching some crime show. The acting was laughable and the special effects were eye roll inducing. I yawned and crawled up to the pillows, pulling the blankets back. So warm, so comfy...

Derek was out of the bathroom standing in the middle of the room in his black boxers.

"Derek?" I asked, realizing I'd drifted off for a minutes.

He grunted. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing."

"Aren't you tired?"

Another grunt.

"Then get in bed."

He slowly made his way over. That's when I realized why he was acting weird. He wasn't sure if he should get in bed with me. He sat on top of the covers.

"Derek, you can sleep under the blankets."

"Thanks," he said quietly, laying down.

"Don't _thank _me. I'm not about to make you sleep on the floor."

It was dark so I couldn't really see his face.

"Goodnight, Chloe." He murmured, kissing my forehead. I caught his cheek and pulled him down the my lips. His lips were soft and warm. He kissed me softly and sweetly, everything a goodnight kiss should be. We pulled away, I smiled at him, knowing he could see it with his super vision.

I closed my eyes and snuggled into the sheets. I tried my best to clear my mind and just sleep. I evened out my breathing and I felt myself being lulled to sleep.

I was only half awake when I felt Derek slip his hand into mine. I was too far gone to appreciate the gesture at the moment.

When I awoke I was still tired. I wasn't sure what had awoken me, but I could tell it wasn't morning yet. My pillow felt different. Probably because my pillow wasn't Derek's chest when I first fell asleep. My head reasted on his chest, with my hand on his sculpted stomach and his arm tucked around me. I lay still for a few moments, taking in his warmth and enjoying his presence. I glanced up at Derek. His eyes were open.

I lifted myself off of him quickly. "Sorry," I said blushing.

"I didn't say you had to get off of me," he said, matter-of-factly.

I wasn't sure what to say, so it was a good thing when Derek stuck his face in my neck and nuzzle it. He had been doing that since a few days after I first kissed him. He said it was because of my scent. I don't really know, I just know he likes doing that. He emerged a few seconds later.

Our bodies were less than an inch a part. He hand skimmed over my side and around my back, embracing me in a half hug and pulling me towards him.

"Are you okay with this?"

I nodded.

"Good. I was trying to stop myself from touching you all night, then you practically laid on top of me in your sleep. Then when you woke up and didn't scream and jump out of bed, I thought you might be okay with it."

"With what? Cuddling?" We had cuddled before, just not in the same bed at night alone.

He grunted. "It isn't cuddling."

"Than what is it?"

"I don't know. Something else. Look, wolves... I just can't stand being this close to you and not being able to touch you. Werewolves need constant contact with their ma- girlfriends."

"What are you going to say instead of girlfriend?" I asked.

"Nothing."

I raised an eyebrow. "You're not telling me something," I said. I couldn't keep the hurt out of my voice. I told him literally everything.

His cheeks heated. "I can't..."

"Why?" No response. "Derek talk to me. What's wrong?"

He sighed and shifted uncomfortably. "You know you can tell me anything, right? I love you," my voice was soft and quiet.

He looked down at me in surprise. Neither of us had explicitly said 'I love you', even though we both knew it was time I blushed. Oh, God. I said it too soon. I tried to pull away. He caught me and pulled me even closer to him.

"I love you, too. So much. That's why I can't tell you."

I scrunched up my eyebrows. "That doesn't make any sense."

He pressed his mouth into my hair and paused. "You might leave me." He said quiety. He sounded to vulnerable.

I paused, very confused and taken aback by his confession. "I bet I wouldn't."

He hesitated. "You know how wolves mate for life?"

I nodded. I'd read that in a Bio textbook I think. "Well, it's the same for werewolves. We only find one mate. One person to love for their entire life. Some don't ever find them."

I was surprised. "And I'm your..."

He nodded. We were both quiet for a very long time.

"Chloe, say something," he sounded desperate.

Instead, I kissed him right on the lips. He kissed me back, but I could feel his hesitation. I pulled back and rested my forehead on his.

"You're an idiot," I kissed him again. "I love you, okay? I wouldn't leave you." My lips brushed his as I spoke.

He didn't say anything, but I could tell he was over analyzing everything.

"Tell me more about it," I demanded, bringing him out of his reverie.

"Um, okay. Well, I'm really protective of you... obviously...and territorial... and basically you just make everything worth it. All this shit we've gone through, I wouldn't change any of it, as corny as it sounds, because it brought me to you. My saliva won't turn you. Your scent is intoxicating. Everything about you is, really. And..." he trailed off.

"Yes?" I prompted.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Mate is a loaded word."

It took me a second to put it together. "Oh," I said, blushing slightly. I'd be lying if I told you there wasn't any sexual tension between the two of us over the last few months. We never get alone time, though, always being in hotels with four other people.

"And you're the only one who... can have my kids."

There was a pause.

"That doesn't sound so bad. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"I thought it might be too soon to spring something like that on you. I thought it would scare you away. Then I could never find the right time. Then I wasn't sure if you actually loved me, the way I loved you. So I just didn't tell you."

"Does Kit know? Simon?"

He barked a laugh. "Dad has known since the first time he was us together. God, he was all over that. He tried to get me to tell you sooner. But I didn't have the guts. Simon... I think he's figured it out by now. Or dad has told him."

There was a loud crack of thunder outside and I squeaked. He chuckled and kissed my forehead, craddling me to his chest.

"It killed me when you were with Simon. That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do." His voice was very serious, sullen even.

I kissed him. His mouth was warm and soft. "I love you." I whispered in between kisses. He kissed me back, first gently. Slowly, it grew more fierce and passionate. He slipped his tongue into my mouth and rolled over on top of me, just close enough that I could feel the seering heat roll off of his body, but not close enough to crush me with his weight. His left hand rested curled around my waist, the other forearm supporting himself above me/ slightly beside me. I lightly bit his lip. He growled low in his chest. My arms snaked across his perfect stomach and chest, around his back and finally up around his neck. My blood felt like it was liquid fire. I pulled back gasping for air. He moved his mouth to my neck. He kissed it, making me head roll, giving him better access. He sucked and I squirmed under him, moaning slightly. He nipped at the base of the throat, sending a shock of awareness throughout my entire body, especially to my most sensitive place. I was sure it was the wolf in him that gave him the impulse to do that. He noticed my positive reaction to his action and continued slowly across my entire neck. He sunk his teeth in a little deeper. I moaned loudly, I knew I would be embarassed about it later.

"You like that, Chlo?" He murmured, his face in my neck. I nodded mutely. I was sure I'd have all kinds of marks all over my neck the next morning, but at the time I didn't care one bit. He slid his hand down to grip my hip. His warm hands slid across the bare skin of my thighs and brushed against my stomach. I sighed at the contact. He rubbed slow circles with his thumb right above my underwear. I brought his lips back to mine. I ran my finger nails lightly over his torso, feeling the smooth ridges of his cut body.

He pulled back.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"We have to stop." He shifted off of me, then whispered in my ear, "Or I won't be able to control myself, and I don't think this is the right time."

I nodded, "Right," and scooted into him. He wrapped his arm around me and tucked my head under his chin.

I'm sorry about the biting, it's sort of a natural reaction for me." He said.

"Sorry? I enjoyed it plenty! Don't apologize."

He chuckled, vibrating in his chest against my head.

"I'm glad."


End file.
